My fiance and I are planning a September 2010 wedding. We have just started looking at venues- on Sunday we saw VYC, Jericho Terrace, Riviera and Floral Terrace.
He and I both fell in love with the Floral Terrace ballroom, their great (included) VH, 1 wedding at a time and the 10 day greek honeymoon (Greece is where I wanted to go anyhow!) Buuuut the only thing that is stopping me from booking it is... the lack of outdoor area. As anyone who has ever visited, it is a freestanding building on a main road (very manhattan-esque) with absolutely NO outdoor gardens, sitting area- literally nothing. I always envisioned my wedding would have some sort of outdoor element. HOWEVER, I have looked at every website of every single venue on LI and no ballroom even comes close to it.
I am so confused. My question is this: How much does the outside 'area' even matter anyway? If it has everything BUT the outside area, should I just book it? Should I keep looking?
We are going to look at Old Feild Club, Majestic Gardens, Windows on the lake and riverview- these are the only ones that we havent ruled out (we have a long list of halls that are OUT- due to size, cost, guarantee or distance).
Any words of wisdom???
Mikeys Meeme
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
I originally wanted to book a place with nice outdoor grounds since we're getting married in the summer. But we ended up booking Floral Terrace anyway bc we fell in love with the room, and their service and food are awesome! And the entire place is huge considering it's one wedding at a time. Also, I went to a couple of weddings where the RH's had beautiful outdoor grounds where you can take pictures, sit and stuff and guess what? it rained! so all that extra money that they charge for the outdoor beauty goes down the drain when that sort of stuff happens. HTH!
Yankees2323
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
i have no nice words for FT.. but thats my opinion...
SummerBride10
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Beautiful grounds are nice...but what happens if it rains? You'll be even more dissapointed if you cant take pics on the grounds. IMO RHs with gorgeous grounds would make me feel too dependent upon the weather.
You can always go to a park in between the ceremony and reception for pictures if you have time.
AdriandSteve
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
AdriandSteve
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
Yup. You can def go somewhere between the church and hall. I looked there also.
Another PLUS imo about FT, their cake comes from buttercookie across the street!!! I LOVE that place and u know how good it is... every holiday there is a line down the block and around the corner.
mmm.....
I looked there also and imo the room wasn't for me but u were def getting a lot of food! Oh, if you like Floral Terrace and the price check out sandcastle in franklin square. Same owners, same greece vaca, different setting and they have a small outside garden.
MrsSoto
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
Well here is my confession tht I havent even said outloud till now...I also always envisioned my wedding with beautiful expansive outdoor grounds and I am booked at JT...I am very happy but every now and then I wish I had a place either on the water or just in general with grounds. Howeverrr, I have not had my wedding yet and from all the amazing things I read about my rh, I know I wont be dissapointed. I think floral terrace is really really beatiful and you are right the ballroom is amazing...my advice, why dont you check out a few places in person because from online, you cant really ever tell. Youll go back to floral terrace if your heart is really set on it but if you see something even better, youll know it!
good luck!
CappyGirl
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
FH and I went to a wedding at FT this past January and didn't expect to like it as much as we did - we had a blast, the food was great and the room was really beautiful. Also, the place itself is really charming - it used to be an old movie house.
We are getting married right up the road at the Inn at NHP, so I understand your reservation about outdoor space - I always envisioned something like that too, but the Inn was the only RH I saw that had everything else I wanted, so we compromised. We are going to take engagement pictures at some beachy / park setting and have our wedding pictures be more formal and photojournalistic (rather than 'creative') and really concentrate on us and our families and the amazing Inn interiors. Keep looking if you are unsure, but don't be afraid to make compromises that will, in the end, make you happiest.
Jen84
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
That was a concern with me too... I always envisioned getting married at a country club or something with wonderful gardens, etc... Instead we are getting married at Chateau Briand that has no gardens but we really liked the room... The places that had great grounds, we didnt really like any of the rooms for us... And I figured, hey we could always go to a park, and what if it rains?? I would be so upset if I picked a place just for the outside and then it rained! You and your guests are going to be in the building and in the room for like 5 hours... You'll be outside for what? Half hour for pics?
Shellymd
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
I have a friend that booked the FT that is in love. I wouldn't worry so much about the outside of the place......You could check out the WCC where I am getting married. Its def a lot of outside area and they are not moving despite the crazy rumors put out there. They are booking well into 2010.
Good luck!
JoesFutureWife
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
DH and i got married at Floral Terrace. We were married June 28th which is prime time for an venue with outdoor spaces. However, the quality was exactly what we were looking for. We got married in church and took our pics in between at an arboretum and then had our reception there. They went above and beyond everything we could have imagined. People still say whenever i see them that it was by far the best wedding they have ever been to. Someone wanted grey goose and sugar free redbull and they only stocked regular redbull--the hall sent someone out to go get the sugar free redbull. Trust me when i say you will not regret your decision. If you do choose to go with ft, fm me before you book your photographer lol
One other thing to keep in mind is this. I was in a wedding in October and the wedding was at a place on the water which was gorgeous. She had an unseasonably warm day (74 degrees ) The entire night, the majority of people were outside on the deck rather then on the dancefloor). There were parts of the night the room looked empty because of this. In hindsight i was so glad we didn't have an outdoor area because everyone was on the floor for the entire night. Here are some pics. They are big sorry http://www.liweddings.com/mywedding/album/i/287168.jpg
JAAMS
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
I think it really depends on what you're looking for. Think about how you'll feel 10 years from now. If you think you're going to look back and say 'I wish I would've had beautiful gardens....' then look for someplace with that. If you think you're going to look back and say 'I wish I had gone with the most beautiful room...' then go with that.
I make myself do this regarding every decision and it tends to help quite a bit.
As for keep looking or not... I'd say keep looking because you never know. FH & I absolutely fell in love with Majestic Gardens; however, we don't want to block off our other possibilities because you never know until you look.
Also, pics online CAN be deceiving. Not that they always are, but they can be.
emc282rjm
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
I felt this way originally. I wanted to get married on the water somewhere, but none of the places we looked at on the water really did it for us. I felt like we were paying so much more for something just because it was on the water. We are getting married at Floral Terrace's sister RH the Sandcastle and honestly we are really excited about it. There is a small garden out back, but we are probably going to go to a beach to take pictures before the the Rh anyway. I think if you really love it you can make it work, but if you're not sure keep looking!
Liv123
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
It's what you are looking for - if the outdoors location is your dream, go for it.
I always thought I would do outdoors too, but if it rains, it won't happen, and I don't like leaving things to chance.
We booked at Sand Castle Caterers - sister RH to Floral Terrace. They do have an outdoor setting that is worth looking into. The hall is gorgeous, so if it rains, it will be okay.
If outdoors is really what you love, check out the Westbury Manor. Great outdoor setting, very nice indoors setting (not our first choice for an indoor setting, but definitely nice)
victorious1979
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Re: Help! Floral Terrace? Keep Looking?
You girls are AMAZING. Thank you, each and every one of you, for helping me sort it all out and come to a decision. You all make great points (so great that I actually made FH read all of your replies!) I am super-new to LIW and it is a tremendous resource. I have been lurking for weeks and have learned so much. I wonder how our moms ever planned a wedding without the internet!
Anyhow, many of you are right- gorgeous grounds won't do much if it rains. And we really ARE in love with the FT's ballroom, level of service, extras and everything. I have read so many amazing reviews of FT too on here.
After reading your thoughts and discussing it with my fiance, I think we are going to go ahead and book FT. For good measure, we are seeing three other places (Majestic Gardens, Old Feild Club and Riverview) before we book FT.
The one thing is this- we are not getting married in a church, and were hoping to get married outside. FT doesnt have outdoor cermonies, so we are thinking we will find somewhere in the area ( a park? an arbitorium? NYIT? ) for the ceremony and then do the reception at FT. If anyone has input for outdoor ceremony locales in the area, please let me know!!! That way, we'll get an outdoor pics and then the reception we dreamed of!
I'll let you know how it turns out and thank you EVERYONE for your help.
Lorin- JT was our second choice- its AMAZING- the ballrooms and the service are stellar!
AdriaandSteve- I ddint know anything about Buttercookie- thank you! Thats another plus. Also, we were at a wedding at Carlyle a few months back- we were blown away- excellent choice!
Joesfuturewife- gorgeous pics, thanks!
Mrs Z To Be
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Here's my two cents: If you love it, BOOK IT!! the rest works itself out!!
I can tell you that my sis got married at FT this past October, and people are STLL raving about the food, the place being original, EVERYTHING!!! It truly was amazing! And the food? So yummy! They even sent both sets of parents home with food, and the day after we feasted!! It was awesome to try EVERYTHING. I have booked Sand Castle, and have absolutley NO doubts. Good luck with everything!!! There are pics in my album!
MrsSoto
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Goooood! Victoria- Im so happy that you got such useful tips and feel better about everything now. LET US ALL KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE!!!
JAAMS
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As far as ceremony sites, I'm ALMOST positive that a couple of the Arboretums do that... try Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay & the Baily Arboretum.
